by | May 24, 2012

One Year Later: My International Network

Sometimes it is difficult to see how the actions you choose to take right now can alter your future in life changing ways. When I studied abroad last year in Rome, I never expected the connections I made through my internship or a weekend school trip in Venice to completely shape the next few months of my post graduation life.

As a double major in Art History and Italian, Rome was an obvious choice to spend my year abroad. The internship program that my school offered was a huge factor in my decision to go there specifically.  During the fall semester I worked at the Capitoline Museums in the center of Rome, some of the most prestigious art establishments in all of Italy and the world, known for their incredible collection of ancient antiquity. Besides being an amazing resume booster, I was able to truly live everything I had been learning about in school, and it only solidified my passion for these fields. Besides being surrounded by the Italian language and beautiful art all day, I was able to experience the practical side of museology, and see how business was really conducted behind closed doors.

During my spring semester I visited Venice, the “Queen of the Adriatic”. I was excited for a weekend off from school and the hectic streets of Rome to play tourist in this watery city. One afternoon was spent in the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, and I completely devoured all the wonderful 20th century art that I usually did not get to see. After a tour from a young American docent, she and I became very friendly and spoke about how she got this dream job at the museum. She is the one who turned me on to the possibility of living and interning in Venice, and idea I was completely unaware of. I returned home in July of 2010, months after meeting here, but I never forgot what she told.

So why am I enthusiastically sharing these experiences? Because of my original internship at the Capitoline in Rome and the fateful meeting I had at the Guggenheim in Venice, I am returning as paid intern this fall to Venice at the Guggenheim! Out of thousands of worldwide applicants, I was one of the ones chosen to participate in an all encompassing internship at this incredibly prestigious museum. Did I mention that’s it paid?  The importance of networking and interning abroad is crucial in laying down the foundation for future opportunities like mine. It’s not about your net worth, but your networks that will propel your career into the industry or profession you desire. I cannot express how important it is to take advantage of the many incredible internship opportunities available to you abroad, and to be more forward thinking to where they may take you later on in life!

 

Jillian Neilson, OIE Peer Advisor

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by | May 22, 2012

Want Some Advice: Listen to the Professionals

Here are some tidbits from the US State Department on how to keep your experience a positive and meaningful experience!

“Look, we don’t mean to nag. But if there was ever anything worth nagging you about, it would be this: Obey the local laws of the country you’re visiting. An arrest or accident during a trip abroad can result in a difficult legal — and expensive — situation. Your U.S. citizenship does not make you exempt from full prosecution under another country’s criminal justice system, and the U.S. government cannot bail you out. Many countries impose harsh penalties for violations that would be considered minor in the United States, and unlike the U.S., you may be considered guilty until proven innocent. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, so be informed. Go from here.

Keep track of the credit limits on your credit cards. Not only does this make good financial sense, but also good legal sense. Americans have been arrested for innocently exceeding their credit limit abroad. Ask your credit card company how to report the loss of your card from abroad. Keep in mind, 1-800 numbers do not work from abroad, but your company should have a number that you can call while you are overseas.

Take plenty of pictures, but only if you know it’s okay. In many countries you can be detained for photographing security-related institutions, such as police and military installations, government buildings, border areas and transportation facilities. If you are in doubt, ask permission before taking photographs.

Make smart purchases. Americans have been arrested for purchasing souvenirs that were, or looked like, antiques and which local customs authorities believed were national treasures. This is especially true in Turkey, Egypt, and Mexico. Familiarize yourself with any local regulations of antiques. In countries with strict control of antiques, document your purchases as reproductions if that is the case.

Make sure your prescription medication is not considered an illegal narcotic. If you are going abroad with a preexisting medical condition, you should carry a letter from your doctor describing your condition and medications, including the generic names of prescribed drugs. Any medications carried overseas should be in their original containers and clearly labeled. Check with the foreign country’s embassy here in the U.S. to make sure your medications are not considered illegal narcotics. Find the foreign embassy’s website.

Don’t accept packages from anyone. Some Americans think it’s a good idea to take advantage of an offer for an all-expense paid vacation abroad in exchange for carrying a small package in their luggage. However, if you are caught, ignorance is no excuse. If the package contains illegal drugs or substances, the fact that you didn’t know will not reduce the charges. You could miss your flight, your exams, or several years of your life during a stay behind bars.

Don’t import, purchase, use, or have drugs in your possession. Drug charges can carry severe penalties, including imprisonment without bail for up to a year before a case is even tried. A conviction carries several more years of imprisonment in a foreign jail. In some countries it doesn’t matter if you’re underage either; you can still be charged as an adult. Mommy!

Do not carry weapons. Even a pocketknife can result in a serious weapons charge while on foreign soil – even if the knife is found during a search or arrest for an unrelated offense. Visitors driving across the border to Mexico should ensure that their vehicles contain no firearms, ammunition, or weapons – Americans have been imprisoned after one single bullet was found rolling around in the trunk.

Avoid participating in demonstrations and other political activities. Here in the U.S. we enjoy many liberties. However, political activities in other countries can result in detention and/or deportation by officials. Even demonstrations that are intended to be peaceful can sometimes turn violent, and you don’t want to be caught in the middle. You can “stick it to the man,” but on your own soil.

If you find yourself in a legal jam, contact the closest U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance. Keep in mind, U.S. Consular employees cannot arrange for local officials to release detained American citizens. ”

 

Kelsey Guyette, OIE Peer Advisor

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by | May 17, 2012

Defying the Buddy System

The “buddy system” has been drilled into our brains since we were in preschool, but how relevant is the concept when you’re studying abroad?  From my experience last fall in Glasgow, Scotland, sticking with a friend is not always the best policy.  Although there are undeniable benefits to consistently exploring with a companion, it is almost equally important to fly solo occasionally. 

Wandering around your unfamiliar city by yourself might seem incredibly intimidating, but it is simply the best way to get know your new home.  My first day in Glasgow was spent meandering the cobblestone streets, walking in and out of little shops, exploring the university’s campus and getting lost at various points throughout the day.  I was so busy taking in the sights and snapping pictures that I never once felt lonely.  After making a few friends that week, a group of us walked around together, exploring just as I had by myself the first day.  With five us exploring together, it was less about where I wanted to go and more about where the majority of us agreed upon going.  Maybe I am just selfish, but aside from the fact that I enjoyed everyone’s company, I found myself annoyed that I was skipping places I was truly interested in visiting, just for the sake of the group as a whole. 

Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum (less than a 5-minute walk from my flat!)

Throughout the rest of the semester, I made a promise to myself that I would not forgo visiting any sight or shop simply because I could not find a buddy to join me – and it was the best decision ever!  Don’t get me wrong, I made some of the best friends of my life and certainly spent a lot of time exploring with them.  But when I wanted to go the museum just down the street from my flat and no one else seemed interested in joining, I put on my raincoat and Wellies and toiled through the rain, happily alone. 

From my perspective, exploring Glasgow (or any city) is best done through a combination of the buddy system and independence.   There is no question about the importance of making friends and spending time touring your host city with them.  But if you do your own thing from time to time, you will learn some invaluable skills, gain confidence and get to know yourself better in the process!

Tips for Safety:

*While it is perfectly fine to explore alone during the day, it’s not recommended to do so after dark.

*Make sure a friend knows where you are going and when you expect to be back.

*Be aware of your surroundings and look out for “red flags”

*Always bring your cell phone and a city map along in case you get lost!

Mikaela Gibson, DU Study Abroad Alum, University of Glasgow ‘11

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by | May 14, 2012

A Look Back: A Year Later and a Year Wiser

Staring out at the rain-pattered window, I sat anxiously on a crowded bus, headed for Moscow. My train for Saratov was set to leave in an hour, whether I was on it or not. We had been driving for nearly four hours, when our bus grinded to a halt, nowhere near tour destination. I had only 40 minutes left to navigate the enormous and inevitably congested train station, in hopes of making my train by 12:01. While pondering how on earth this would be possible, the bus driver announced that this would be as far as he was going, due to the traffic; we would have to walk the rest of the way. Great! I not only have no idea where I am going, but its pouring rain and I have to lug all of my stuff there in about 20 minutes. And that’s what I did. I jumped off the bus, grabbed my bags and started running. The bus driver pointed me in the right direction and off I went, asking every person I happened to run into “where is the train station?” And you know what, I made it. I stepped onto the train and seconds later, I was on my way to family and friends.

It was that bus ride and subsequent train ride that made me realize so much about myself. As I sat listening to music and soft trickle of the rain, I understood that my parents did the very best job they could in raising me. I understood that though they have made choices that I don’t agree with, it’s not a reflection on me; I can let it go, forgive and be free. I understood that I was alone, travelling in Russia and never once doubted myself, never once thought that I couldn’t do it and never once looked back. I understood that in those few hours, I became a woman, a better human being and truly began to live a life of my choosing. I understood that the only one who stood in my way was me, and when I removed my self-imposed limitations, the opportunities were endless.

For me, Russia was an escape from the chaos, but through its bureaucratic serenity, I found what I was looking for. I was set free, reinvigorated and ready to return to my mom, my dad, my brother, and my amazing life. Russia reminded me just how precious life is and that you can’t let it slip away from you. This lesson is one that I will never forget.

 

Kelsey Guyette, OIE Peer Advisor

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by | May 10, 2012

Year-long study abroad conundrum

If you are reading this, chances are you’re interested in studying abroad.  I am not here to preach why study abroad is ‘life changing,’ to convince you why it is ‘totally awesome,’ and to explain how much fun I had living abroad.  Chances are, if you’re reading this, we already have enough in common: we are seeking adventure, and we like to push the limits.   This year, I am studying abroad for two semesters in Salamanca, Spain.  It has been the best decision I have ever made, and the hardest choice I could have made. I will start by saying: it has not always the fantasy I thought it would be.

A year ago I made the decision to study abroad for 1 year.  Was that so crazy? Maybe.  Can I be honest?  When all my DU friends came back from their study abroad after a semester to celebrate New Year’s together, and I was by myself in middle-of-nowhever, Spain, all I wanted was to be back home, with them, back where life made sense.

I will not boast that this year has been “completely life changing.”  I am not going to tell you to “have no regrets.” I won’t remind you that “it’ll be over before you know it,” and I won’t encourage you to “appreciate every single second.”  Because sometimes watching “It’s A Wonderful Life” or seeing a sunrise is life changing.  And you will have some regrets, I guarantee it.  During the holidays, it will seem like the end will never come, and you will think you are ready to go home.  And some days, everything around you will be a constant reminder of how far removed you are from the place you call home and the people that you love.

Do not go abroad for a year to impress your high school friends.  Do not go abroad because you feel you need to get away from your family. Do not go abroad because you think it’s going to be one huge party.  I will tell you this: there are moments when studying abroad for a year is incredibly scary.  You will question if it is the right decision, and you will hate yourself some days for deciding to leave home behind. 

But wait! Before I scare you off, know this: you will never regret the decision as a whole.  When you come back and start second semester, a change occurs and you never even realized it, but the city you perhaps once thought was foreign and weird now feels like home.  Yes: most of your first semester friends have left, and you will miss them terribly.  Guess what? There’s plenty more friends to be made.  You will have traveled all first semester and now your wallet is empty.  But now, you’ll finally get to know your city like the back of your hand.  You will start to do things and go places you never even knew existed first semester.  With new friends and a new perspective, the cityscape changes.  And before you know it, you are incredibly happy and feel a sense of peace.  Then the month of May rolls around and you realize: wow, man, the end is near.  Now you hate yourself for deciding to come for a year, because how can you possibly say goodbye and end this chapter in your life?!

From living in Spain for two semesters, I have learned what the expressions “un pulpo en un garaje,” “no pasa nada,” and “ni fo, ni fa” really mean.  I have come to realize that I do not need my own closet and a Verizon cellphone to live a comfortable life.  Somewhere along the line, I made a home in a city that once felt foreign and strange.  I can describe to you the people I will pass on my walk home from school on weekday afternoons, and I know the best spot to watch the sunset over the Spanish countryside.  I know what cafe sells the cheapest and best empanadas, and I know how to navigate the trains between Salamanca and Madrid.  I learned to dance the Salsa with Puerto Ricans as the sun rose over the city of Salamanca, and I know the best place in this city to get cheap Chinese food. I am friends with the ‘camarero’ who works at my favorite tapas bar, and I can tell you why Spanish ham is a delicacy.  These have been my greatest accomplishments and the hardest challenges that I have faced this year. I do not think with just one semester that this would have happened.

Looking back, I left for a year to rediscover myself and figure out who I was.  What does that even mean?  I leave this city in a matter of days.  Have I really figured out “who I am?” I am not sure yet.  But I am sure of one thing: My only regret was having hesitations.  If this is what you decide to do, to study abroad for a year, go forward with confidence and without second guessing yourself.  I wish I could have done that. I wish I could have convinced myself in October that this was the right decision, because I cannot imagine only having had one semester here. 

Most days, I love the small Spanish city of Salamanca, but there are other days when I feel trapped and alone.  I have seen that traveling to new places and meeting new faces is incredibly liberating, and overwhelmingly intimidating.  And I understand that leaving and starting over is a grand adventure and the scariest step you can take.  Being away from home for 9 months is never easy.  And yet with one year I was able to really learn Spanish, I have been able to travel to 12 different countries, and I have made life-long friends: this makes all the heartache and growing pains worthwhile.  I will say it again: I do not think with just one semester that this would have happened.  

Studying abroad for a year is not for everybody. Ya gotta be tough and open to try new things and realize that YES, it will not always be easy.  Ruth Tam said it perfectly when she wrote: “Making a home out of all the places I’ve lived has been simultaneously exhilarating and exhausting. Some days I delight in the fact that my soul is deposited in several pockets of the world. Other days it makes me feel empty. I wonder if I’ll ever be able to retrieve those parts of myself, or if they were meant to stay there, unbeknownst to all those who come after me”( excerpt from the essay “Home Is Not A Place”).  If you have the desire, and if you tell yourself you can do it, this will be the most incredible and liberating experience. And I promise you, at the end of the day: you will not regret it.

Kelsey Guziak, Salamanca Spain 2011-2012

http://myyearinsalamancaspain.blogspot.com/

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by | May 8, 2012

DO NOT GET KICKED OFF YOUR PROGRAM!

Getting ready to study abroad can be extremely exciting and hectic at the same time.  Getting your official acceptance; figuring out your flight and housing; planning the places you KNOW you want to see and visit.  But don’t forget one key thing: YOU CAN STILL GET KICKED OUT OF YOUR PROGRAM!!!

Now, this isn’t to say that I think all students are on the verge of this happening.  I know that the vast majority of students getting ready to go abroad are very excited and are not about to do anything to jeopardize that.  Still, at least a handful of students every year either get kicked off their program or else lose their place before it even starts.  Sometimes it’s for serious issues, but sometimes it’s small mistakes that add up to a HUGE lost opportunity that you may or may not get another shot at.  This is a bummer not only because you may lose the chance to go abroad on the program you’ve worked hard to get into, but also because there can be some serious financial consequences. This is kind of a doom and gloom blog, but it is something we want to make sure ALL students know about so you don’t end up in this situation:

First of all, remember that this applies not only to the time you’re actually abroad –you are still a student and held to DU and your host institutions honor codes.  Break those and you could face being kicked off the program when you’re already there—but also now, as in the rest of Spring Quarter.  DU Policy states that you cannot be abroad on a DU partner program while on probation.  That means that if you get in trouble now and have to complete probation in the fall, you cannot go on a Partner Program.  Additionally, even if you would be in the clear by fall, the OIE office still needs to inform your program of any conduct violations and they may choose to withdraw your placement.

Now to the financial side: If you are kicked off your program, before or after the start date, you may be liable for anything that DU has already paid for you (tuition, flight, insurance, visa, housing etc.).  We’re talking potentially thousands of dollars down the drain for you.  Not only that, but if you have any state or federal aid you may be asked to repay any payments that have already gone out for that term.

Bottom line—be smart.  Realize that you are still held to the same standards you’ve been held to throughout your college career, and that doesn’t stop before or after your program start date.  Study abroad is a life changing opportunity.  Don’t miss out on it because of one bad decision.

 

Stephanie Roberts, OIE Graduate Peer Advisor

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by | May 7, 2012

Reblog: Travel Side Effects–Mind Gymnastics

We found this great blog to share with you from twenty-somthingtravel.com!  This student talks through some big differences between being at home and travelling–some things to get you excited for this great experience!

“The curse of the traveller, is that no matter how happy you are, at least a small part of you always wishes you were somewhere else. Your eyes open to the massive amount of possibilities in the world, and it’s hard to focus on just one. Many people who take off in search of adventure quickly realize that travel is not like a cold that you get out of your system, but like an addiction that simply grows and feeds on itself.”

Link to full article:

http://twenty-somethingtravel.com/2012/04/travel-side-effects-mind-gymnastics/

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